Chapter 14: The Face of Opportunity

Takahiro was on a mission.

As he strode through the doors of Marimo Bookstore, he felt refreshed, better than he had in ages, a spring in his step as he unwound his scarf from his neck. He planned to stay a while and indulge in perusing, having allotted himself one Misaki-free day of revisiting his favorite old spots in Tokyo to clear his mind.

He had woken up the previous morning with the taste of cigarettes in his mouth and a terrible hangover (he had played it off as a stomach bug in front of Misaki) and vowed to turn over a new leaf in his life...not just to act happy for the sake of his little brother, but to truly be happy. He was tired of denying himself things because he was intimidated by the possibilities, and tired of justifying this behavior in his head with the same old excuses about responsibility.

When he looked in the mirror that morning, he resolved that it really didn't matter to him who or what form opportunity resembled when it next presented itself...he was going to take it. He wasn't sure exactly where to begin, but he figured he might as well visit one of his old favorite hangouts and browse through some books on the topic. His only reading material as of late had been Usagi's manuscripts, which were getting kind of dark, if he was being honest.

It was quiet in the store because he had gotten there early in the morning, so he glanced around to see if anyone was looking and promptly lowered himself to sit cross legged on the floor, head tilted to the side as he scanned the titles on the bottom shelf.

"Excuse me, do you need any help?"

Takahiro jumped to his feet and turned around, coming face to face with a petite, pretty woman with soft brown wavy hair and large hazel eyes.

"Oh, hello! I didn't see you there!" Takahiro said, adjusting his glasses self consciously, which had been knocked askew in his haste to rise. "Why, what makes you think I need help?"

"Well, I work here, so I usually say that to everyone," the woman said, pointing to the button with her name on it attached to the front of her apron. Takahiro hadn't noticed it at first (some things never change), but he now peered closer and read her name, Kajiwara Manami.

"Plus, you're sitting in front of the 'self help' section," she added.

Takahiro subconsciously winced when he heard the dry humor behind her words, as he had also vowed to steer clear of sarcasm for a while (it just went way over his head.) However, when he looked down at her, she gave him a beautiful smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief. When he tentatively smiled back, she giggled.

"So I am," he admitted sheepishly.

"Is there anything I can help you with, then?" she repeated.

"Oh no, I'll be fi—actually, I changed my mind. Have coffee with me when your shift is done," he said spontaneously.

"My shift's not over for a while," she answered, looking surprised. "Plus, how could I ever get coffee with a complete stranger?"

Takahiro's shoulders slumped.

"Hmm...I have another idea," she said, putting on a pensive face. "If you stay here and talk to me for a while, we might kill two birds with one stone."

"Really?" Takahiro asked, delighted.

"Well, I'd only be doing my job, after all," she said, giggling again to show him she was teasing.

"I should buy a book, then," Takahiro replied. "What would you recommend?"

"Why don't you tell me what you're interested in?" she said.

And the two spent the morning smiling and chatting, strolling through the aisles of the bookstore.

A/N: A fluffy, happy ending for our gentle, unassuming protagonist. I think he deserved a break, no? :D

One of the few things we do know about Takahiro is that he loves reading. (Remember, he met Akihiko by reading the stories he had written on the desk?) So, I decided that a little twist on the Erotica setup would be appropriate here.

We don't know much about Manami, but I decided to give her a kind, teasing personality. I've gone and made poor Takahiro attracted to a sarcastic sense of humor, but I think this will suit him much better than someone like Hiroki, who's very different (read: raging bitch. Not that I don't love and cherish him.)

Well I hope you enjoyed hearing from me as much as I enjoyed hearing from you.

Until next time, friends!

ika

p.s... what are you in the mood for next? A crossover crackfic or a pseudo-trifecta oneshot? I've written both already, so let me know if you have an opinion :D my days left with internet are limited, so sorry if it seems like I'm overwhelming you with stories.